More than 100 military families get back-to-school supplies from nonprofit event in West Palm
WEST PALM BEACH — Area military families got ready for the back-to-school season Saturday morning in West Palm Beach at an annual event hosted by Operation Homefront, where they received school supplies such as textbooks, bookbags, notebooks and folders.
Operation Homefront is a national nonprofit that provides resources to military families. The organization held its annual Back-to-School Brigade program for the 16th year this weekend; it estimates a total of $60 million in savings to families nationwide since it started this program.
Saturday's event was held at the National Guard Armory in West Palm Beach. Some 120 families who had registered since May received the donations.
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Families came in and out to receive their supplies from 10 a.m. to noon Saturday, and also visited booths to receive information on resources such as equine therapy, mental health counseling and afterschool programs for their children, said Beth McGregor, a spokeswoman for the local chapter of the organization.
Richard and Dina Pazmino of Port St. Lucie got back-to-school supplies for their four children. Richard Pazmino, a 31-year-old who served in the Army, said he had a "really cool" experience and that the event provided helpful resources for mental health.
"Just having four kids, trying to save money. Honestly, (I'm) trying to get the help where I can," he said.
Jurriell Washington, a 36-year-old teacher from Royal Palm Beach, said her fiancée in the military told her about the event and that she wanted to see what the vendors had to offer. Washington also got school supplies for her 7-year-old daughter and 5-year-old stepson.
"It's very helpful, especially for low-income families that need it, because as you can see over the (COVID-19) pandemic, a lot of people didn't have the resources," Washington said. "I think these types of events where people help other kids or families, it's beneficial."
McGregor said many families in West Palm Beach are not aware of Operation Homefront's local services, since they have bigger offices in Tampa or Jacksonville and have their headquarters in San Antonio, Texas.
"A lot of the families just aren't aware of some of the resources and things available," McGregor said. "So for me, it was really important to try to connect with Guard families, because a lot of the time they need help, and they sometimes don't know what to ask or they're not comfortable asking."
Stephany Matat is a politics reporter for The Palm Beach Post, part of the USA TODAY-Florida network. Reach her at smatat@pbpost.com. Support local journalism: Subscribe today.
This article originally appeared on Palm Beach Post: Military families get back-to-school supplies from West Palm event
